Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-01-07

gin her a man. an ne leVi,d on first cousin
o minc-a son % Aunt Dolby Brill But less
jog on; we've got a good piece fur ter 60"
1t was now night-ll'rk and Stnrcss, and
the dense woods through which they were
travelling made the darkness thick aud inn
pcnctrallc But no check in Fortnor'S speed
hintcd at any ignorance of the course or en-
countering of obstacles He continued to
stride forward with the same swift. certain
step as in the day tirlc. But for Harry, who
could see nothing but his leaders head and
shoulders, and whose every effort was re-
qurcd to keep these in sight, the Journey was
full of painful toll The rylaNation from the
intense strain manifested itself in proportion
as they seemed to rercdc from the presence of
the enemy, and his spirits faggod continually.
AT length Fortntr slackcnci his pace, and
began to move with caution.
Are we coming upon the cnomy againp
asked Harry, in loud whisper, which had
yet pcrceptiblc quaver in it.
"No,n answered Fortner; "hut we're Accom-
in ter what is every bit an grain cz danger
some. Heah's whar the path winds round
Blacksnake cliff, an yen hcv ter be cz keer
full o your footin' ez eff ye war trcadin' the
slippery ways O sim The paths 10 widern
a hoSs's back, an - better ter walk on. On
the right hand side hits several rods down
ter whar the creeks tearin' long like a mad
| dog. Hcah hit now, can't yeg'
For some time the roar of the torrent sweep
ing the gorge had filled IIarry's ears.
"Ye want ter walk SLOW continued Fort
ner "an feel kccrfully with yer foot every
time afore We sot hit squarly down. Keep
yer left hand a-fcelin' the rocks above yer,
SOS ter make shore all the time tibet ye're
close ter EN- Bout half way thar's big
break in the path. Hits jess one step acrost
| hit Take one step arter say tibet I'm aCrost;
then feel kcerfuly with yer left foot fur the
aidge o the break, an then step out eA long
ez We kin with yer right Thacll bring ye
over. BE shore o yer feet, an yell be all
right
Harry trcmbled more than at any time be-
fore, They were already on the path around
the steep cliff The darkness wa, inly. The
roar of the waters below rose loudlv-angrily.
The walls Of the wildcats behind overhead
and in from. of them, made it seem rs if the
signing pines ana cedars were inhabited with
lost spirits shrialing warnings of impending
disaster
Harry's foot came down upon bowlder
which turned under his weight. He regained
his balance with start, but the stone top
pied over He listened. There were scores
below.
Not 50 much as "A twig between here and
eternity" he said to himself, with ,huddcr.
Then aloud: Cant We stay here, some
place, and not 90 along there to-nGht"
The roar of the water drowned his voice
before it reached Fortner's ears, and Harry,
obeying the instinct to accept leadership, fol-
lowed the mountaneer trcmblnglv.
In little while he felt--mOre than saw
Fortner stop. adjust his feet, and make q
long stride forward with one Of them. Glen
collected himself for the same effort. He had
need of all his resolution. for the many mar
row escapes which he had made from slip
ping into the hungry torrent had shaken
every nerve,
I'm over" called out Former. aye try
hit now
Harry balanced his gun so as to cmbaITaSs
him the least and carefully felt with his left
foot for the edge of the chasm. The cata-
mount announced his renewed presence by a
vindctive scream The clouds parted just
enough to let through a rift of gray light,
but it fell not upon the brink Of the black gap
in the path. 1t showed for an instant the
whirlpool. with fragment, of tree trunks, Of
gha>tlv likeness to drowned human bodies
oddying diI1ily around.
u ono Oh, 'alIeu out foTlheT' lIllPa'lcHIN'
Harry stepped ont desperately. For a
mental eternity h" hung IN am IilN hands
relaxed and his gun dropped with a crash and
a splash. lhon ms Iool t"h'hed the other SIDE
with nervous douh,!un"Ns. 1t slipped and he
felt himself falling -f"in" INTO all That he
feared F"rtncr GraNI"d his collar with a
strong hand and dragged him up against the
rocky wall Of the path.
"lhIr. Yer all riIht - he said. laOt iuu with
the eNertlon, but hlt WIZ monty loud cal
fur ye GahrclS hon couldn't We made d
much mo powerful one.
1--WE lost my gun, said Harry, rcgrctfully
as soon rs he could compose himself.
"Cu-san-bu the blasted ole smooth bore,
, SAID Former, contemptuously. Don't waste
no tears on tibet ole kick out-hchind. Wei
go long tween Wildcat an the Ford an picl
up wagon load nv cz good shooters ez the
clumsy chunk % pot-metal WIZ Shake your
self together We've ony got a mile or 81
tor 90,